Piddling pets rank number one in things that “hurt Shanghai’s image”

Of all the things to take issue with about the streets of Shanghai, it seems like the worst nuisance to Shanghai families are “pets piddling in public,” according to Shanghai Daily. Yep, pets letting loose their bowels ranked higher than illegal street vendors, spitting, graffiti and noise. As one university student put it, “Letting pets urinate or defecate in public deprives the animals of self-respect. A true animal lover wouldn’t allow that to happen.” We don’t know about that – our pets never seemed to mind. And besides, don’t people let their kids do that here?